Westwood, MASS.- Springfield College has been tabbed to win their fourth straight NEWMAC regular season title, collecting seven first-place votes in the 2024 NEWMAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll. The Pride are led by Mike Cerasuolo and will see several key performers return to the field. Headlining the returners is 2023 NEWMAC Offensive Player of the Year, Arsen Shtefan, who led the league with 1,272 rushing yards. Fellow All-Region performer, Joe Maurer, will also return after totaling 52 tackles in 2023.

Salve Regina University enters the poll in the second spot. Head coach Kevin Gilmartin will lead the Seahawks, as they return first-team All-Conference quarterback, Jake Stack. Stack led the league in passing touchdowns with 24, and completion percentage at 63.2 percent. On the defensive side, Avery Arno and Nick Bostrom return after tying for second in the league with four interceptions a piece.

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy takes the third spot with one first place vote. The Mariners, coached by Jameson Croall, will return first team All-NEWMAC wide receiver Talsen Smith, who was second in the league with 730 receiving yards, while leading the conference with 19.3 yards per catch and nine touchdowns. First team All-NEWMAC performer Jack Temple will also return to the defensive line.

WPI, coached by Chris Robertson, lands in the fourth spot. The Engineers will see All-NEWMAC and All-Region performer Doug Cain return to the field. The tight end totaled 29 receptions for 311 years and three touchdowns in 2023.

Coast Guard takes the fifth spot. The Bears are coached by C.C. Grant, and will return several key performers, highlighted by wide receiver Broock Desta. The 2022 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year led the league with 1154 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.

MIT lands in the sixth spot. The Engineers will be under the direction of seventh-year head coach Brian Bubna and will return All-Region performer Nico Bulhof. The kicker averaged 40.3 yards per punt, and registered eight punts over 50 yards.
 
SUNY Maritime takes the seventh spot, as first-year head coach Jamel Ramsay takes over at the helm. 2023 NEWMAC Special Teams Player of the Year Luke Caliendo returns after scoring six touchdowns as a wide receiver, going 15-for-15 on extra points, kicking two field goals and serving as the primary kick returner.
 
Norwich rounds out the poll in the eighth spot. The Cadets look to new leadership under first year head coach Bill Russell, who brought in a talented staff and a slew of newcomers to compliment a number of notable returners, including All-Conference performer Simon Taraska.
 
Football conference play kicks off on Saturday, September 28.
 
2024 NEWMAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Springfield (7) 
2. Salve Regina
3. Merchant Marine (1)
4. WPI 
5. Coast Guard 
6. MIT 
7. SUNY Maritime 
8. Norwich 

About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with four Associate Members: Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime (Football) and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), while sponsoring 20 sports.